• EC Chair says they have neither inclination nor authority to change criteria that are set in legislation per poll-type  

The Election Commission (EC) stated that nominations for elections are always handled in accordance with the legal provisions specific to each election, and that it has neither the intention nor the authority to amend the relevant criteria.

With a high number of nominations submitted by political parties and independent groups for the upcoming Local Government (LG) Elections being rejected by the respective Returning Officers, there has been an ongoing discussion regarding the criteria that the election authorities consider when accepting and rejecting nominations.

In response to a query by The Daily Morning as to whether the EC would consider making any changes to the relevant criteria in future elections, the EC Chairperson R.M.A.L. Rathnayake said that they had neither the intention nor the authority to do so. "There are specific legal provisions applicable to each election. These provisions outline the criteria for accepting and rejecting nominations. We always act in accordance with these laws. If there are any concerns, the relevant legislation will have to be amended, and that is beyond our mandate."

The nominations process for the 2025 LG Elections was conducted across 25 Districts from 17 to 20 of last month (March 2025). Out of the nominations submitted by recognised political parties and independent groups, a total of 425 had been rejected, after which some of the affected parties and independent groups resorted to legal action over the matter. 

Prior to accepting nominations, the EC had outlined several reasons for rejection, including submission by an unauthorised person, failing to meet the required number of candidates or exceeding the limit, not making the required deposit for a recognised political party or independent group, the absence of the party secretary’s or the independent group leader’s signature, the failure to have their signature certified by a Justice of the Peace or a Notary Public, and not meeting the mandatory quota for youth and female candidates.